May 10-12 Pig-o-rama at Tejon

[Cacciatore]

Brand new JHP forum user, decided to stop lurking and join the masses.  I've found quite a bit of helpfull information on Jesse's website and in these forums, so thanks.  

I've got a total of 3 hunters in my group signed up for the May Tejon pig hunt, and we'll be in the south area.  If nobody minds, we're interested in joining up with you guys at the camping area.  All 3 of us are virgin pig hunters, so we would appreciate the opportunity to pick your brains and hear some hog stories.

 

[Speckmisser]

One Track, add my brother in there.  He'll be with me to make seven.  

Cacciatore, the more the merrier, although this is my first hunt at Tejon also, so I dunno how much help I'll be.  At any rate, glad you de-lurked, and welcome to the party.  There's a ton of great info on this list, but I'm sure you'll find it gets even better when you jump in and take part!  

We're up to about 10 guys and counting in the South area!  Anybody else?  

(Edited by Speckmisser at 11:57 am on April 18, 2002)

 

[One Track]

Sounds like a party.  Ten and counting.

 

[rusman66]

Hey I just sent  my application in for the South Side. I hope I am not to late.
If not that makes 11

 

[Speckmisser]

Hey Rusman,

I'll bet you're in.  Welcome to the party...  well, if nothing else, JHP will be well represented!

Less than three weeks and counting!

 

[rusman66]

Thanks speckmisser I hope your right.  Now that I sent my money in I can't hardly stand it.  I hope I am in.  
I am coming by myself so I was hoping I could camp near some of you JHP'rs.  I don't mind hunting alone, but I was hoping to put some faces with some of these nicknames.

I don't have much experiance with rifle hunting, I usually hunt with a bow. The only rifle that I shoot that might be big enough is a 6.5 X 55  is this enough gun for pigs? Is it important to use a scope or are the majority of pigs taken at close range?

I will have a 44 mag side arm, what would be a good grain of bullet for this?

Sorry for the questions but I just realized I don't  know anything about hunting pigs:surprised-purple:

Anyway It's all about memories right?    Well I am ready to go make some.

 

[Speckmisser]

OMIGAWD, Rus!  Don't ask the "is this gun big enough" question around these parts!  You don't know what you'll be starting!  :skeered: :flamethwr: :hammer: :yackin: :shootin: :rofl


Just kidding.  I don't really know anything about the 6.5x55, so I can't say one way or another.  From other similar posts, you'll probably see that I'm from the "Use enough gun" school, so any suggestions I make will lean toward the heavy side.  Jesse has a chart on his hog hunting page though, that describes some general calibers, velocities and bullet weights and their effectiveness on hogs.

As for your pistol, the .44 with a good 240gr or better softnose oughtta do the ticket, though.  I posted on the handgun forum for recommendations for a "best" .44 hog round, and got a lot of recommendations for a heavy (300gr), hardcast and for the Winchester Gold Partition.  From the sounds of things, you'll have a good chance to get close.  Jrifenbark on the April hunt took his pig with a 30-30 at pretty close range.  
I think some guys are talking about using bows, too.  

I'll probably carry either the 30-30 or an unscoped 30-06, along with a .44 Blackhawk in the bush.  My scoped Savage is kinda heavy and unwieldy in the thick stuff, but if there's good open ground I'll tote it instead.  It used to be so easy when I only had one gun...

Anyway, bring what you have.  I'm sure you'll have a blast, and like you said... it's mostly about the memories.  I'm looking forward to putting some faces with the names too.  

I'm looking at arriving somewhere around 1400 on Friday.  Really depends on how long I have to spend at the range Friday morning before we can leave town.  I think that back area of the lower campground (as mentioned by Bishop) might be a good spot to try to build our JHP city for the weekend.  First one there should put up some kind of sign...  

 

[songdog]

Big enough?  Specmisser is right.  We could get an easy 100 more messages out of that topic :wink-yellow:

The 6.5x55 is basically the same as a .260 Remington, which is plenty of gun.  The 6.5x55 is actually one of the best guns you could own in CA (all opinion here but I think I can justify it).  It's plenty for deer, pigs and bear.  Unless you get lucky and draw an elk tag, I doubt you'd ever need more.  And if you were lucky enough to draw that elk tag you deserve to go buy yourself a new gun anyway.

 

[bubba]

Songdog, What if you have an Elk Tag, but already have enough gun (300 WinMag).  Can I still go out and buy a gun.  I need this as support to convince my wife that this is an unwritten rule.  By the way, my other excuse is that the rifle will be for her and my daughters.  So I am looking at smaller calibers such as .243  6mm and 7mm-08.

 

[rusman66]

Thanks for the Info guys. Sorry to tread so near the enough is enuff gun war.  I should have checked jesses pig info page from the start and not asked a dumb question like that. I will try to stay focused next time.  

I will be getting off graveyard on fri morning and will probably arrive at Tejon sometime around 1200 hrs.   I will be driving a plain red toyota pickup. with a JHP sticker in the back window of course.

 

[Speckmisser]

Hey, Rusman...

Just so you know, we're just cracking on you.  There are definitely no dumb questions, and I think yours was a good one.  Just learned something about yet another caliber I'd never seen or heard of.  

Of course, I still think nothing short of .416 Rigby for anything over 50 lbs, and a .460 or .500 Express might even be better.  Then, was it Hogskin who got me thinking about the five gallon bucket, necked down to .30 caliber?  ...   Now THAT sounds like a good pig round.

Look forward to meeting you at Tejon.

 

[One Track]

That makes 11.  Any more takers out there.

Eighteen days to go.

 

[rusman66]

I knew you guys was just funnin.  But Jesse really does have a lot of good info for beginning hunters.

Is the May hunt considered a summer hunt, what I mean is am I gonna have to take my truck to the fire marshall  to have the exhaust inspected?

 

[Speckmisser]

Summer hunt?  Exhaust inspection?  That's new ones on me... must be a SoCal thing.  

Does your truck shoot fire out the exhaust?

 

[rusman66]

Speckmisser are you funnin me again?  No seriously included with the Tejon application there was a Pig o rama general information sheet included. On the backside of the second page under VEHICLES it says:  Exhaust system inspection-During fire season the Kern County Fire Department must inspect and approve the exhaust system of each vehicle before it may enter Tejon Lands.  

Sorry maybe I mislead you by saying summer instead of fire season.  So my question should have been when is the fire season?

 

[One Track]

Shoot y'all. I must have missed that Exhaust Inspection insert.  I just read through the general info sheet, and missed it again.  I was there last May, and it never came up.  Hmmm.

 

[Speckmisser]

Nope, not funnin' ya this time, Rus.  

Missed that one, too.  Hmm... I'm guessing that if it were a big deal, we'd be getting more notification from the ranch.  That would make an awful lot of ticked off hunters if folks started arriving and found they couldn't hunt without getting inspected.  

 

[One Track]

16 days to go y'all.   It looks like eleven of us confirmed.  Any other takers out there?

 

[grtwythunter]

I'm going to call today and see if they have any open spots left. Keeping my fingers crossed!!!!!              Scott

 

[rusman66]

I don't really have anything to say, I am just really excited about going.  Sorry

Hey I know, Is there an outhouse or something? or is it completely back to nature.
I want to be prepared.  

(Edited by rusman66 at 1:20 pm on April 25, 2002)